Bow tie machine



I. ZAHN BOW TIE MACHINE Jan. 9, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 2, 1965 INVENTOR.

IRWIN ZAHN I L ll JOHN P. CHANDLER HIS ATTORNEY.

I. ZAHN BOW TIE MACHINE Jan. 9, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. .2, 1965 INVENTOR. IRWIN. ZAHN JOHN P. CHANDLER ms ATTORNEY.

Jan. 9, 1968 'l. ZAHN I 3,35

I BOW TIE MACHINE Filed Aug. 2, 1965 B'Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 8

INVENTOR.

IRWIN ZAHN I I v I BY 7 JOHN P. CHANDLER HIS ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,362,592 BOW TIE MACHINE Irwin Zahn, 185 Elm Road, Englewood, NJ. 07631 Filed Aug. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 476,540 2 Claims. (Cl. 223-1) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bow tie machine which forms longitudinal pleats in a fabric tape and, while so pleated, applies a C-shaped clamp cut from a metallic tape with a fabric covering, around the fabric tape and then cuts the fabric tape to suitable lengths.

This invention relates to a high speed machine for forming split rings or clamps from a narrow web or tape having a metal backing, and constricting the ring around an elongated member so that at the end of the operation the opposed ends of the ring can be slightly spaced apart, can be in meeting engagement, or be in overlapping relation. In most instances, the width of the elongated member will be reduced, forming longitudinal pleats, just prior to the application of the ring, which is applied as it is formed, and after this operation, the member is cut to length. The split ring formed by the instant machine can be round, oval, C-shaped or any other configuration.

The machine of the present invention has a variety of uses including the forming of simulated bow ties for feminine adornment and in this instance the metal backed tape will have an ornamental covering of fabric or other material similar to the material forming the elongated member. The bow tie is similar in appearance and attractiveness to the hand tied variety, is structurally better and much less expensive to make.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the present machine;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same;

FIG. 3 is a view along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a bow tie;

FIG. 5 is a view along line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a view along line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view along line 7-7 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a view along line 8-8 of FIG. 1, partly broken away to show the components;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a view along line 10-10 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a view taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 1.

The operative parts of the bow tie making machine herein described are mounted on a base or frame 11 and the apparatus is in the nature of a wire stitcher which has been suitably altered to obtain the desired result. This stitcher, which is indicated by numeral 10 in the drawings, intermittently feeds a laminated metal-fabric strip 12 into an assembly area A by virtue of a pair of eccentric drive cams 14 and 16. The strip 12 is drawn from a supply roll 18 and passes over a guide pulley 20 which aligns it for passage into the stitcher '10.

Coincidentally, a strip of unlaminated fabric 22 is drawn from a second supply roll 24 into the assembly area A also intermittently by virtue of a clamping device 26 which grips the strip 22 and is driven by an air cylinder 28 through a piston rod 30. This fabric tape 22 which may be velvet or other ornamental material, becomes positioned (in the assembly area A) in spaced relation to the strip 12 with their faces substantially parallel but having their respective longitudinal dimensions substantially normal to each other, ready for assembly into a bow tie.

The supply roll 24 can be located in any convenient position such as upon a bracket 32 so long as the strip 22 is properly guided into the assembly area as by guide rollers 34 and 36.

With particular reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be noted that as the strips are fed through the assembly area A a segment 12a, of proper length, is cut from the strip 12 and wrapped around the strip 22 at spaced intervals to form a bow section. The strip 22 is then cut at spaced intervals 22a substantially half way between the wrapped segments 12a. This leaves a portion 22b of the strip 22 on either side of the segment 12a which together comprise the bow tie.

The assembly operation comprises a pleating device 38, which is the first operation upon the strip 22 as it enters the area A. A forming die 40 which, in cooperation with a punch member 42 of the stitcher 10 ties a severed segment 12a (from the strip 12) around the pleated strip 22; the clamping device 26, for gripping the strip 22 and pulling it through the machine; and a cut-off device 44 for cutting segments of the strip 22 as described above.

In order to form pleats 22c in the final bow tie, pleating device 38 is provided with a channel section 46 through which the strip (or ribbon) 22 passes. The width of the channel 46 is less than the width of the strip 22 and is provided with an arcuate bottom 48. A cover plate 50 having a finger 51 with an arcuate inner surface 52 resiliently urges the strip into the channel 46 by reason of springs 54 surrounding a pair of supporting studs 56. A pair of spaced projecting tabs 58 at the bottom of the device 38 support the pleated ribbon 22 adjacent the die 40 for tieing.

The punch 42 cooperates with the die 40 to cut the segment 12a from laminated strip 12 and push its ends into the contoured surfaces 41 of die 40 and around the pleated strip 22. This operation is properly coordinated and timed so as to place the segments 1211 upon the strip 22 at correct intervals as shown in FIG. 3.

The clamping device 26 as best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 8 comprises a block 60 which is slidably supported upon two parallel rods '62 in turn secured in a channel shaped section 64 of the frame. A substantially central opening 66 in the block permits the strip 22 to pass therethrough. A clamp 68 is resiliently held against a cam arm 70 by springs 72. A piston rod 74 of an air cyl inder 76 is connected by a pin 78 to the free end of the cam arm 70 the operation of which moves the clamp 68 against an anvil 80 by virtue of the cam surface 70a. This action grips the strip 22 between the clamp 68 and anvil 80 for feeding movement through the machine. The anvil 80 is formed as a central protruding section of a cover plate 82 which is attached to the block 60 by screws 84. The cover furthermore projects beyond the block 60 to permit attachment of the air cylinder 76 by a bracket 86.

This complete clamping device 26, including air cylinder 76, is movable longitudially of the strip 22 upon the rods 62 as best shown in FIG. 1.

After the clamping device 26 has moved the strip 22, the cut-01f device 44 severs the strip 22 to form a bow tie. The strip 22 passes through an opening 88 in a mounting block 94 which slidably supports a knife 90 by its projecting fins 92 cooperating in grooves 93 as best seen in FIGS. 10 and 11. A cutting edge 91 of the knife 90 projects into the openings 88 to cooperate with the anvil 96 for severing the strip 22.

It will be noted that in order to obtain the final bow tie with angular ends (FIG. 4) the knife 90 is mounted 3 angularly with respect to the strip 22 (see FIG. 11). Another air cylinder 98 operates the knife through a lever 100.

A microswitch 102 (FIG. 12), when locked into the circuit permits continuous operation and the circuit opens, stopping operation when the trailing end of the tape passes through the switch device 102. If intermittent operation is desired, the cover 104 is raised to position A, unlocking the switch.

It was earlier pointed out that the split ring or clamp can have any desired cross sectional configuration and the forming die can be shaped to produce this desired configuration. In most instances, it will have curved sides and thus be of generally C-shape, whether round or oval. In some instances it may be formed with angular corners and the ends may meet, may be spaced apart or may overlap slightly. It is accordingly to be understood that the term C-shaped as used herein and in the appended claims refers to the general configuration and includes an oval, a circle or an angular configuration.

While there have been described herein what are at present considered preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention. It is therefore to be understood that the exemplary embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims, and that all modifications that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be included therein.

What I claim is:

1. A bow tie forming machine comprising a frame, reels journalled on the frame, carrying respectively, a fabric tape and a strip of flexible laminated tape including a metal backing and an ornamental fabric covering ad'hesively joined to the metal, means for intermittently feeding the tapes at right angles to each other and for cutting the laminated tape in short lengths and bending them to a generally C-shape, including a combined cutter and punch for cutting and for bending the cut length in spaced relation around the fabric tape to form the bow sections, a device for forming longitudinal pleats in the fabric tape, said device having a channel of lesser width than the fabric tape through which the latter passes, means for intermittently advancing the forward end of the fabric tape after the bow section has been affixed to the pleated areas and a cutter for severing the finished bow ties substantially midway between the applied bow sections.

2. A bow tie forming machine comprising a frame, reels journalled on the frame, carrying respectively, a tape of bow forming fabric and a strip of laminated tape including a metal backing and an ornamental fabric covering resembling the bow forming fabric adhesively joined to the metal, means for intermittently advancing the tapes at right angles to each other and for cutting the laminated tape in short sections, a die for bending a cut section of said strip to C-shape to form a clamp, and a combined cutter and punch for cutting and for bending the cut sections in spaced relation in clamping relation around the fabric tape to form the bow section, means for forming longitudinal pleats in the fabric tape in advance of the C-shaped clamp and a cutter for severing the finished bow ties substantially midway between the clamp.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,831,592 11/1931 Friedman 223--1 1,839,855 1/1932 Ames et al. 223l 2,3 35,053 11/ 1943 Gluck 223-46 3,190,512 6/ 1965 Nathanson 22330 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. V. LARKIN, Examiner. 

